Red Sox Notebook: Leadoff spot still a question mark

BOSTON — Whether the Red Sox manager was Terry Francona, Bobby Valentine, or John Farrell, from the start of 2008 through last year he knew he had a potent leadoff hitter.

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By ERIC AVIDON

southcoasttoday.com

By ERIC AVIDON

Posted Apr. 9, 2014 at 12:01 AM

By ERIC AVIDON

Posted Apr. 9, 2014 at 12:01 AM

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BOSTON — Whether the Red Sox manager was Terry Francona, Bobby Valentine, or John Farrell, from the start of 2008 through last year he knew he had a potent leadoff hitter.

At least when Jacoby Ellsbury was healthy.

Now Ellsbury is plying his trade with the rival Yankees, and if there's one thing that seems certain so far in this young season it's that the Red Sox don't have a single player who will hit atop the lineup for the majority of the season.

There's no proven player on the roster who fits the bill of a typical top-of-the-order hitter — a base-stealing threat with a high on-base percentage.

Jonny Gomes led off for the Red Sox Tuesday night against Rangers left-hander Martin Perez, the second time the muscular outfielder — who is no one's idea of a stolen-base threat, but does boast a discernible eye — has done so.

Grady Sizemore led off once, though he's never been one to walk a great deal. Daniel Nava, who like Gomes sees a lot of pitches but isn't a fast runner, has led off five times, all against right-handers.

"The one thing we prioritize is on-base, and yet we're still trying to generate that," said Farrell. "We're going to be in a situation where we'll mix and match as best we can. ... We don't have that prototypical guy, and I like Dustin (Pedroia) in the two-hole, and it creates the middle-of-the-order continuity for the rest of the guys that are there.

"We're looking to take advantage of the strengths that our current roster has to offer."

When Shane Victorino is eventually activated from the disabled list — he and Will Middlebrooks are scheduled to begin baseball activities later this week — he could become the primary leadoff hitter against left-handed pitching, according to Farrell, while Nava leads off against righties.

Victorino has 222 career stolen bases, including 21 last year in 122 games, and a career on-base percentage 65 points higher than his career batting average.

While it's far from a trend at this early point in the season — skewed in large part by Nava's slow start — Gomes, Nava, and Sizemore were a combined 4-for-28 when at the top of the lineup prior to Tuesday night's game.

"We're doing what we can," Farrell said.

Clay Buchholz was awful on Saturday night in his opening start of 2014. He was tagged for six runs on 13 hits in just 4 1/3 innings, and only avoided taking the loss because the Red Sox' hitters bailed him out.

He's slated to pitch Thursday night when Boston visits the Yankees, and will look to show that his season debut was merely an aberration.

"He went through his normal five-day work routine," said Farrell. "It comes down to game execution. We feel like he's going to come to the mound with similar stuff that he had on Saturday night, and it's a matter of being more consistent with his location from pitch to pitch. That, to me, was the reason why he had struggles the other night."

Buchholz, who was 9-0 with a 1.71 earned run average through early June last year, has pitched just 44 innings since then.

Left-handed reliever Craig Breslow is expected to be activated for Wednesday's game after beginning the season on the DL with a left shoulder strain. He threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings over the course of three rehab outings. ... Ryan Roberts made his first start with the Red Sox on Tuesday night, playing third base and batting eighth, after being signed Monday. ... Jake Peavy will oppose Robbie Ross Wednesday afternoon in the series finale between the Red Sox and Rangers.

Eric Avidon can be reached at 508-626-3809 or eavidon@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @ericavidon.